(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an improved adjustably mounted fitting assembly for use in connecting fluid carrying pipes through a partition, such as a cement floor in a building. In particular, the present invention relates to an adjustably mounted fitting assembly that can be quickly and easily mounted inside of and sealed to a coupling embedded in a partition, such as a concrete floor in a building, for connecting to fluid carrying pipes provided on either side of the partition. The fitting assembly is comprised of a fitting conduit, preferably tubular in shape, having an annular enlarged portion provided on the outside sidewall and an annular gasket mounted in a recess in the enlarged portion. The fitting conduit is preferably made of a metal material, such as cast iron, while the gasket is made of a plastic material and is integrally bonded in the recess in the enlarged portion. When the gasket is mounted in the annular recess, the outer diameters of the gasket and of the enlarged portion are parallel and in contact with the inside diameter of the inside wall of the coupling. The coupling is also preferably a plastic member and the gasket is then solvent cemented or bonded to the inside wall of the coupling. This provides a seal between the fitting assembly and the inside wall of the coupling that is waterproof and that prevents the spread of smoke and fire. When the fitting assembly is mounted inside the coupling, the opposite ends of the fitting conduit extend beyond the partition and the coupling. This provides for connecting fluid carrying pipes to each end of the fitting conduit. The enlarged portion and the gasket also provide for adjusting the sealing point between the fitting assembly and the inside wall of the coupling. This provides for varying the distance that the ends of the fitting conduit extends beyond the coupling and the partition, which is useful for connecting the fitting conduit to fluid pipes that have been previously mounted in an existing building construction.
(2) Prior Art
Couplings embedded in partitions, such as concrete walls and floors are well known. The couplings generally have a cylindrical sleeve that is mounted to a form for the wall or floor. After the floor or wall is poured, the form can be removed or it can remain in place. The sleeve then provides an opening through the partition and serves for mounting fluid pi through the partition.
My U.S. Pat. No. 4,261,598 describes a coupling for a concrete floor. The coupling is comprised of a tubular sleeve portion that is provided with a flange at one end for connecting the coupling to a form for the floor. When the floor is poured, the sleeve is embedded in the concrete to provide an opening through the floor. However, the sleeve has a cylindrical outside wall that tends to provide a channel for water seepage as the coupling expands and contracts in response to temperature changes. The sleeve is provided with an inner annular rim that has spaced apart parallel shoulders, perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the sleeve. The shoulders serve to mount fluid carrying pipes extending from the coupling on either side of the partition. The fluid carrying pipes must be solvent welded or bonded inside the sleeve, abutting the inner annular rim.
In my U.S. Pat. No. 4,623,170, an improved coupling embedded in concrete is described. The coupling has multiple concentric rings on an outside wall of a sleeve portion of the coupling. This helps prevent leakage between the outside wall of the coupling and the concrete partition. The sleeve is provided with an inner annular rim that serves to mount fluid carrying pipes on either side of the partition. The pipes mounted inside the sleeve must be solvent welded or bonded to the sleeve and the inner rim.
My U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,583,565; 4,638,829; 4,724,858; 4,953,235, describe firestop fittings particularly adapted to prevent the spread of smoke and fire between floors in a multi-story building by plugging off any potential fire path through a vertical pipe mounted between the floors. These patents describe an assembly where a non-flammable plug is released by heat less than required for heat destruction of a plastic coupling mounted in a concrete floor. Upon being released, the plug moves into and seals in an iron fitting mounted inside of the plastic coupling to serve as a non-flammable barrier through the iron fitting. This retards the spread of fire through the plastic coupling by depriving the inside of the coupling of oxygen.
My U.S. Ser. No. 07/692,669 filed Apr. 29, 1991, describes a similar firestop fitting having a moveable plug for plugging off a vertical pipe mounted between fire rated floor members. U.S. Ser. No. 07/701,057 filed May 16, 1991, describes a firestop fitting having a moveable plug for plugging off a horizontal pipe mounted between vertical, fire rated wall members. These inventions are particularly adapted to prevent the spread of smoke and fire through the pipe by plugging off the inside of the pipe.
My U.S. Pat. No. 4,953,235 describes a trap fitting assembly that uses a flammable coupling vertically mounted through a concrete floor. A non-flammable sleeve is mounted inside the coupling and extends below the coupling for connection to a non-flammable J-pipe. The J-pipe contains water at a level sufficient to prevent smoke and fire from spreading through the floor through the flammable coupling. The sleeve prevents fire from spreading through the trap fitting by depriving the inside of the coupling of oxygen needed to sustain the spread of fire through the coupling. This invention is preferably adapted for a floor drain outlet or a tub.
My U.S. Ser. No. 07/700,406 filed May 15, 1991, describes a trap fitting assembly for mounting in a flammable floor to prevent the spread of smoke and fire through the floor and a lower ceiling. The fitting assembly is comprised of a flammable connection mounted inside of a non-flammable threaded nipple that is mounted in an opening in a support means supported in the floor. A non-flammable J-pipe threads onto a lower extension of the nipple and contains water at a level sufficient to prevent smoke and fire from spreading through the fitting assembly. This invention is preferably adapted for mounting in a tub box as the support means and the connection is preferably a T-connection for draining a tub through an overflow pipe and a drain pipe connected to a tub drain.
My U.S. Pat. No. 5,076,309 describes a firestop stub-out assembly, which includes a non-flammable insert having an annular flange at one end. The insert is mounted inside of a flammable, plastic sleeve and locked in place by a plastic coupling that mounts over and around the flange portion of the insert. This invention is adapted to be mounted through fire rated wall members and, provides a means for coupling the sleeve to a water operated fixture mounted in a room and to fluid conduits mounted between the wall members.
What is needed is a fitting assembly that can be mounted inside of a coupling embedded in a partition to stop a fire. The fitting assembly needs to be able to connect fluid carrying conduits through the partition, whether or not the partition is a concrete member or a fire rated member, and whether or not the partition is a vertical wall member or a horizontal floor. The fitting assembly also needs to seal to the inside of the coupling so that the spread of smoke and fire and the seepage of water between the fitting assembly and the coupling is prevented. Further, the sealing point between the fitting assembly and the coupling needs to be adjustable along the length of the coupling. That way, the distance that the opposed ends of the fitting assembly extend beyond the partition and the end of the coupling can be adjusted. This is useful for connecting the fitting assembly to existing fluid carrying pipes provided on either side of the partition.